Stark difference in prices of essential commodities adds to consumers’ woes

Rawalpindi : Some essential items which are used particularly in Ramazan like lemon, dates, sugar, basin, ghee/cooking oil, onion, potato, green chili, yogurt, cucumber, banana, apple and ‘atta’ are being sold at high prices now-a-days as compared to four to six months back which has broken the back of consumers.

According to price lists issued during four to six-month back by the city district government, Rawalpindi that 1-kilogram fine quality lemon was available at Rs60 but now its price is Rs400 in open market.

Similarly, four to six months back, 1-kilogram ‘basin’ was at Rs70 but now its selling price is Rs130, sugar was at Rs52 but now its price is Rs66. The local management has fixed 1-kilogram sugar price at Rs55 but now it’s not available in Ramazan Sasta Bazaars. One kilogram yogurt price was at Rs90 before Ramazan, now it’s Rs120-130. Green pepper was Rs50 per kilogram but now is Rs120. One-kilogram cucumber was at Rs20 but its price jumped to Rs70.

Onion and potato used excessively in Ramazan, 1-kilogram onion price was Rs25 but its prices jumped to Rs70 in the open market and Rs54 in Sasta Bazaars. One kilogram potatoes were available at Rs20 but now being sold at Rs35.

Prices of all brands of ghee and cooking oils have increased from Rs870 to Rs990 for five kilogram pack.

Earlier, fine quality dates were at Rs100 to Rs120 per kilogram and now the price jumped to Rs250 to Rs400.

Last year at Ramazan, a 10-kilogram ‘atta’ bag was at Rs250 but now its price is Rs290 at Ramazan Sasta Bazaars.

Four to six months back, 1-dozen fine quality banana was being sold at Rs60 but now its price has increased to Rs150 to Rs250, while fine quality apple was at Rs120-150 but its price has now jumped to Rs350. Low quality apple is being sold at Rs120 in Ramazan Sasta Bazars.